Ghana Black Stars forward Antoine Semenyo could have been wearing Liverpool colours instead of Manchester City blue, with the Reds reportedly considering him as a potential replacement for Mohamed Salah.
Semenyo has made an impressive start to life at Manchester City since joining the Premier League giants from AFC Bournemouth during the January transfer window.
The Ghanaian attacker quickly became an important figure under then-manager Pep Guardiola, playing a key role in City’s domestic cup campaigns.
Since arriving at the Etihad Stadium, Semenyo has helped Manchester City lift both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, scoring the decisive goal in the FA Cup final to secure the prestigious trophy for the Citizens.
However, his career could have taken a very different path had Liverpool succeeded in their reported pursuit of him.
According to The Athletic, former Liverpool Director of Football Richard Hughes was a strong admirer of Semenyo and pushed for the club to sign the forward during his time at Anfield.
Hughes already knew the Ghanaian from his previous role as Technical Director at Bournemouth and reportedly viewed him as an ideal long-term replacement for Salah, whose future at Liverpool was uncertain at the time.
The report claims Hughes urged Liverpool’s hierarchy to make a £60 million move for Semenyo during the January transfer window.
“Hughes urged the Liverpool hierarchy to sign him for £60million last January, regarding him as a ready-made replacement for Salah, who had indicated a willingness to leave just months into a new two-year contract.”
However, uncertainty over Salah’s future prevented Liverpool from making significant progress in their search for his potential successor.
By the time the Egyptian forward’s situation was finally resolved in March, Semenyo had already completed his move to Manchester City and made an immediate impact under Guardiola.
“Salah’s future was not resolved until March, by which time Semenyo had joined Manchester City and hit the ground running,” The Athletic reported.
The Ghanaian’s performances since moving to the Etihad have subsequently demonstrated why Hughes was so keen to bring him to Liverpool.
Semenyo’s combination of pace, physical strength, direct running and goalscoring ability has quickly made him one of the standout African attackers in the Premier League.
His contributions during the second half of the 2025/26 campaign proved particularly valuable as City secured two major domestic trophies.
His match-winning strike in the FA Cup final further cemented his popularity among Manchester City supporters and capped a remarkable opening chapter to his career at the club.
Semenyo has also received individual recognition for his performances, earning a place in the PFA Team of the Year.
While Liverpool once viewed him as a potential successor to Salah, Semenyo is now firmly established at Manchester City and continues to strengthen his reputation among the Premier League’s leading attackers.
For Ghana, his rapid rise at one of Europe’s biggest clubs represents another major milestone, with the Black Stars forward continuing to establish himself among the country’s top players competing at the highest level of European football.
